Shipley Parish News
An oak tree in a bluebell meadow near Dial Post in Spring 2019
February and March 2021 £1 Shipley Parish News
COVID-19 Restrictions
SUNDAY SERVICES ARE SUSPENDED THE CHURCH IS OPEN FOR BY APPOINTMENT ONLY
The Shipley PCC has taken the difficult decision to suspend Sunday Worship. We have done this so that our beloved church gatherings do not become a source of infection and so no-one will feel obliged to attend Sunday mass, when they should be shielding. The PCC will review the situation on 24 February.
While physical services are suspended we will be uploading Video Sermons at the Church website, under the section "Video Sermons" You can also participate in a full video Eucharist in the "Service you can do at home" section.
At this time we are unable to leave the church open during the day but if you would like some time for private prayer and reflection we are running an appointment system for now.
If you wish to come and prayer please contact Rev Chris Allen on 01403 432813 or [email protected], or the Church Wardens at [email protected] and they will arrange a time to unlock the Church for you.
There are many online resources, please go to:
www.shipley.church (where we will make regular updates on what is happening at Shipley)
AChurchNearYou.com (run by the Church of England)
https://www.churchofengland.org/more/media-centre/ coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-churches#na to find online resources for Prayer.
Also please remember that while you might be isolating yourself from others, you are never alone. If you need practical help, or just someone to talk to, please contact Rev. Chris on 01403 432813
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Parish directory
Vicar The Reverend Chis Allen T: 01403 432813 The Vicarage, Shipley, RH13 8PH E: [email protected]
Church Gavin Kenny T: 01403 734387 Wardens Meadowcroft, Polecat Lane, E: [email protected] Copsale, RH13 6QR
Richard Killner T: 01403 741974 1 New Cottage, Pound Farm E: [email protected] Shipley RH13 8QB
Honorary Colin West T: 01403 741912 Treasurer E: [email protected]
Honorary Jo Nunn E: [email protected] Secretary
Organist and Peter Sanderson E: [email protected] Choirmaster
Assistant Anne Haimes Organist
Sunday School Liz Cockerill E: [email protected]
Safeguarding Liz Cockerill E: [email protected] officer
Bell Captain Simon Meyer E: [email protected]
Bell Secretary Sue Meyer
Andrew Hall Jane Gardner E: [email protected] Amanda Jupp
Magazine John Davies E: [email protected] advertising
Magazine Lucy West T: 01403 741912 subscriptions
Magazine Greg & Rachel Huitson-Little E: [email protected] editors
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The Vicar’s Letter
Dear Friends
I have arrived in Shipley at a very challenging moment for our world and our nation. Over the last nine months churches, along with many other venues, have been closed for weeks at a time and many are experiencing serious difficulties as a result. Weddings and funerals have been drastically affected and so have baptisms. Many families have suffered heartache and frustration in these situations. Meanwhile, the battle against Coronavirus continues. But by now, I can write to you after we have shared some experiences together. We celebrated Christmas with the full provision of services. Our thanks are therefore due to the organists Peter and Anne and to the choir members for continuing to provide the musical input that is so important at Christmas, in such unusual circumstances. Everyone else, from flower arrangers to bell ringers, those who erected and decorated the tree and those who put parking cones out, also made sure that The Feast of the Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ was celebrated with due rejoicing and sense of occasion. At the moment of writing, we have suspended public services in Church. Many people feel understandably cautious about meeting other people and, as the incidence of Covid has risen to very high levels locally, we decided at the PCC very sadly we should suspend Church Services for now, with a review on 24th February, taking into account the situation and the latest guidance at that time. The decision and updates will be posted on the website. The whole lockdown experience can feel as though normal life has come to an end, and in many ways it has, for the moment. Perhaps we feel like those Israelites in exile in Babylon, cut off from worship in the Temple in Jerusalem, as they expressed in Psalm 137: “By the rivers of Babylon there we sat down and there we wept...how could we sing the Lord’s song in a foreign land”. The lockdown does seem like a strange land where everyday life follows unfamiliar norms and rules, and with each person or family held captive in their own separate “Babylon”, or captivity. And as with the exiles, worship as a community in the hallowed space set aside for the purpose, cannot take place. However, those exiles learned through it all that worship can take place outside the Temple and that the sacrifices that God desires are humility, contrition and the practice of justice, as the prophets had taught and as Jesus would go on to reiterate. So we have a big task at the moment to keep in touch with one another as best we can and to maintain our availability to the community at large throughout the parish of Shipley. Loneliness is something that can affect many of us as we
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miss seeing other people in what was once the usual way and doing the things we enjoyed. So why not pick up the phone and talk to someone. This magazine is itself a real asset when it comes to keeping in touch and so our thanks are due to all those involved in writing, producing, and distributing it. I myself am making a point of phoning parishioners and I would be very pleased to hear of anyone who would like a phone call from me. One of the hardest parts of the current situation is the inability to make any concrete plans for the future. That means that we can only wait and see how the situation develops before making any plans, for instance, for enjoyable social and fund raising events in the Spring and Summer, much as we would like to. Lent begins on Ash Wednesday 17th February. I will record a service and Sermon on Ash Wednesday, which will be posted on the website as we do for the Sunday Services currently. This edition of the magazine also takes us into Holy Week, with Easter Sunday being 4th April. Last Easter was the darkest time of the first wave of the pandemic. We hope this year that by Easter we will be emerging from the worst period of the second wave. Easter will possibly, therefore, have a greater sense of reality as we emerge from a real wilderness experience where we have been tested in many ways, yet, we pray, having remained faithful
Your friend and parish priest
Chris
01403 432813 or [email protected]
New parish email database
If the past year has taught us anything, it’s the importance of keeping in contact with our friends in the local community. With this in mind, the PCC has decided to set up a new database of email addresses for the parish, to keep you informed about what is going on at Shipley Church, share news and let you know about fundraising and events.
If you would like to sign up, please email Chris at [email protected].
We look forward to getting in touch with you soon!
Note: in sharing your details, you will be giving us permission to use your personal data solely for the purposes of communicating about church life and events, in accordance with data protection laws.
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Editor’s letter
Welcome to the February and March Shipley Parish News!
Here we are again… writing this from home, not been up to London, still on mute, etc etc. Next month we shall be marking a full year of working from home. There’s bits of “normal” working life I miss, and bits I certainly don’t! It will be odd, when I finally return to the office, not to be able to put an album on full volume when I need to concentrate on some drafting. Well, I suppose I could, but being in an open plan office my colleagues might not appreciate it! One person, or creature, that does appreciate it is Yellow-Dog. She is currently in her “Dire Straits” phase; discovering some classic late seventies and early eighties British Rock. She had a bit of a dalliance just after Christmas with some of the late sixties and early seventies stuff, but found it a bit too “out there” for her flappy ears so has retreated to something a bit more soothing. More often than not she can be found keeping watch in the Man Cave whilst simultaneously snoring away to some rhythmic drum beat pulsating through her fur. She clearly has fine musical taste: the fact she actively comes to lay by my side while I do injustice to an otherwise carefully arranged piano tune is testament to her aural refinements. Black-Dog normally scampers away to some far corner of the house to avoid the cacophony. With the New Year comes new year resolutions. Here in Parish News HQ we’ve had a mixed bag. On the one hand, Mrs Editor has resolved to join me in the Man Cave for tea and biscuits twice a day: my elevenses and my afternoon tea, if you please, ensuring we take a break from the rush of the day and spend a little time together. It is our water cooler moment but without the water cooler. At this point, irregular readers will be thinking how sweet true love is and how wonderful life can be. Regular readers will be wondering what the catch is. Well, here’s the thing. Having kept a watchful eye on shopping last year, Mrs Editor came to realise that it wasn’t only Yellow-Dog that has an astonishing penchant for the odd biscuit. I do too. It was not uncommon for a packet of chocolate digestives to be digested at some pace. Bourbon creams, ginger nuts, jaffa cakes all went the same way. This, Mrs Editor considered, had to stop. Thus the “Parish News HQ Tea Break”™ was born: a moment of calm yes, but really a devious disguise for Mrs Editor to ration my biscuits. It is almost Machiavellian in its deceit. Wives and girlfriends of the parish are now nodding in approval. But she hasn’t stopped there. As well as the tea and biscuits, I’m also being force-fed fruit. Apparently an apple turnover does not count as one of my five-a- day, nor does carrot cake. So occasionally - but with alarmingly increasing
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regularity - fresh fruit is slowly replacing the biscuits. I wouldn't mind so much, but strawberries without a dusting of sugar or pears being served un-poached? It’s just not right. Other New Year resolutions include more walking… not for Mrs Editor, but for me. Many will recall the arrival of Greg-the-Garmin, the activity watch that appeared during 2020. This malevolent little device took aim at Black-Dog over the summer and made the poor hound’s life one long high speed trudge around the parish accompanying Mrs Editor. Yellow-Dog, being of a certain vintage, was spared many of these long walks. However, with these dark evenings, Black-Dog has been taking the time to recover, spending her evenings keeping my spot on the sofa warm. But where am I, you ask, if not in my spot on the sofa? Well I seem to have replaced Black-Dog. You see, it is not unknown of an evening for Mrs Editor to ask how far I’ve walked in a given day, find the answer is “not far”, and for her to promptly drag me out for a walk around the village in pitch black darkness. Even a near dead set of batteries in the torch won’t dissuade her, instead inviting the comment that I should eat more carrots and enjoy the romance of navigating by the stars. It seems, if I’m honest, as if Mrs Editor has made me her “project”. Eating better, exercising more… it’s worrying me a little. Well, a lot actually. Granted, my slovenly lifestyle does need a bit of attention, and it’s quite surprising when I look back how much walking I actually did when working up in London. I am dreading the summer: I can see Mrs Editor persuading me, in the way that wives do, to go out jogging with her. Worse still, I can almost hear her say how nice and enjoyable it would be for us to go out cycling together, and before you know it I’ll be riding along with her around the parish and beyond. But the thing I am most fearful of is her dietary leanings. Last year she turned vegetarian, and whilst for a period she also ate fish, she is now pretty much a full-on veggie muncher. To be fair, I have enjoyed many a vegetarian meal, and have become rather skilled at knocking up some really tasty meat free dishes. Indeed, being at home has given us a real opportunity to spend time trying new dishes, experimenting with ingredients we wouldn’t normally use, even finally cracking how to make tofu crispy and edible. It’s not all salad leaves and stuffed peppers here, you know. But I still like my meat. And so our cooking journeys are a bit like escape roads… we go veggie most of the way, but I’ll then veer off course, go rogue, and slip in a bit of chicken here or beef there as I dish up my portion. I mean, imagine life without an Aga cooked breakfast. You see my fear.
Until next time,
Greg and Rachel [email protected]
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Anniversaries for 2021
Peter Sanderson’s annual update of notable anniversaries
Years ago
300 Robert Walpole became Britain’s first Prime Minister (3 April 1721) 275 Battle of Culloden, Scotland 150 Queen Victoria opens the Royal Albert Hall (29 March, 1871) 100 Birth of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, (10 June 1921)
90 Abbey Road Studios in London opened by Sir Edward Elgar
First edition of the Highway Code published in Britain
80 National Service introduced in the UK
75 Introduction of Family Allowance, paid to mothers
Free Milk provided in UK state schools to all pupils under 18
70 Radio comedy programme The Goon Show broadcast by the BBC for the first time (28 May 1951)
London’s Festival Hall opens at the Festival of Britain
60 First episode of the world’s longest running TV soap opera Coronation Street is broadcast (9 Dec 1961)
The Jaguar E-Type is launched
50 Decimalisation of the British Coinage is completed 20 The Eden Project opens in Cornwall 10 Wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton (29 April 2011)
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Flower rota
Altar Vases Memorials 20 and 27 February ——————— Lent - no flowers --——————-
3 April -——— Decorate for Easter - all welcome ——–—
10 and 17 April Hariot Anniss Jane Grinling Charlotte Johnston 24 April and 1 May Amanda Jupp and Maria Woods Angela Brumwell 8 and 15 May Ann Roberts and Carol Blackwell 22 and 29 May Lynette Coates Jane Sanderson
Traditionally the Church is decorated with Lilies for Easter, but some people are allergic to them and therefore may not be able attend services, and some arrangers may wish to provide their own Spring flowers. We will review this nearer the time and will keep you posted. Any suggestions would be welcome!
If you need help or wish to change your dates, please do contact us: Hariot Anniss: [email protected]
The Shipley Quads
From the church registers of February 1709: In Shipley on 2nd February there were four babies, George, Jane, Mary & Elizabeth, born to John and Jane King. All were baptised in the church on February 3rd. Such an event now-days would meet with much interest in the popular press. One wonders if it caused much of a stir then (three hundred & twelve years ago)! Sadly, none of the children survived, and were all buried in one coffin on 8th February 1709. RIP.
Peter Sanderson
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News from the Hub
Call Horsham District Council on 01403 215230 to get advice on issues and to be directed to the right place – which might be to us at the Shipley Volunteer Hub.
As we arrive into February and toward Spring, it looks as if National Lockdown is having a positive effect on the numbers with daily infections finally falling. Daily deaths, while still difficult to comprehend, are starting to reduce again. We have a long way to go, and there are bound to be more hurdles to come, but there are positive signs, and of course the vaccine roll-out nationally seems to be a success worth celebrating.
The job of the Shipley Volunteer Hub has been to give local parish residents a helping hand when needed, and our wonderful group of volunteers continue to do that. If you need any help with something - emergency shopping because you are shielding or isolating, collection of a prescription or just a friendly chat please do just get in touch by calling your volunteer, or via Horsham District Council on 01403 215230, who will put you in touch with us.
A Shipley Hub Covid Information newsletter was distributed in January which we hope you found useful. The Hub’s website has plenty of useful local and national advice – both government advice as well as NHS advice, and also up-to-date information about local business support and many useful contact numbers. Go to www.ShipleyHub.co.uk. Did you know we also have an active Facebook page which is regularly updated with the current covid situation? Look on Facebook for the ‘Shipley COVID Info’ page.
Quite rightly, vaccinations are the buzz topic. In Horsham District they are being organised with one vaccination hub for each group of GP surgeries. Check the list at the end of this article to see which hub your GP surgery is in and where you are likely to be requested to go for your vaccine. If you have any questions about vaccinations, there is an easy-to-read guide available on the Shipley Hub website (www.ShipleyHub.co.uk) in the “NHS Advice” page. If you have any
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existing medical conditions which mean you are nervous about being vaccinated please do call your doctor to discuss. There is a lot of false information and “scare mongering” out there so it is worth checking rather than refusing the vaccine. When you have your appointment, you can arrange transport if you need it, from the Community Transport scheme. Call 01444 471919 for Mid Sussex and 01403 754206 for Horsham.
Testing is becoming increasingly important, particularly as new mutations of the virus appear. If you are have symptoms book an NHS test by calling 119 or book online. If you need a test for other reasons, Platinum Ambulance are coordinating local private testing at the new testing site in Hickstead on the A23. They are also offering mobile testing to individual businesses weekly which helps those businesses to continue operating with confidence. Call 03332 102999 for more information.
What does Lockdown mean for Shipley Parish? In some corners, parents are coping with the stresses of home schooling one or more children – often of different ages and different abilities - while at the same time holding down professional careers, part of the WFH army (working from home)! In other corners people living alone may be looking for ways to occupy themselves, very often in need of a friendly chat and some interaction and signs of life. Elsewhere key workers from the parish are working flat out to support us – in Shipley parish we have teachers, nurses, ambulance workers, postal workers, and others – people from all key sectors making sure our world keeps spinning. Others may be dealing with income loss and uncertainties about their future. Everyone one of us is impacted somehow.
We are particularly concerned about people in the parish who may be feeling isolated and lonely. If that is you, please do get in touch with us. Do keep an eye on your neighbours and friends, and make regular contact. “Care, Air, and Share” is a catch phrase which caught our eye recently. Pop a puzzle book to a neighbour, perhaps share novels you can later discuss, or swap puzzles (of course make sure you sanitise them…). If you are creative – or even if you are not – try some pencil drawing, you might surprise yourself! Some of us are feeling reflective as lockdown gives us more time to think; if that is you, why not write your memoirs – either a particular event which is memorable for some reason or write your life story so far; you won’t regret it! Or have you ever tried writing a short story? No one is too old or too young to start writing.
We are building up a lovely collection of Shipley in Winter/Spring 2021 photos from across the parish which are being displayed on the www.ShiplyHub.co.uk website. Please have a look! And please do send us any you take (which you are happy to have published). The content or quality does not matter – it is just
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lovely for people to be able to see what is going on in the Parish, especially for those who are stuck indoors at the moment. As the season changes take some pictures of what you are doing or what you see around you; amongst all the difficult news we want to bring you some cheer and beauty from the parish. Send them to [email protected].
While you enjoy the signs of Spring, don’t forget that the basics are still the most important way of keeping the virus away…
HANDS : FACE : SPACE
At the same time, never hesitate to call out if you need help, whatever your issue.
Stay Safe, Helen Gibbs, Shipley Hub
Current Vaccination Hubs
Christ’s Hospital Blue Coats, for patients at: Cowfold Surgery Rudgwick Medical Centre The Courtyard Surgery Horsham Village Surgery Southwater
Park Surgery Horsham, for patients at: Holbrook Surgery Horsham Orchard Surgery Horsham Park Surgery Horsham Riverside Surgery Horsham
The Glebe Surgery Storrington, for patients at: Billingshurst Surgery The Glebe Surgery Storrington Henfield Medical Practice Steyning Health Centre
Pulborough Medial Group, for patients at: Pulborough Medical Group Loxwood Medical Practice
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The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), working with the NHS, is looking for more people to join the NHS COVID-19 vaccine research registry, and have asked if we can include a note in our parish magazine
Can you help?
Whilst vaccines are now being rolled out across the UK, it remains vitally important that clinical trials into a number of other COVID-19 vaccines continue.
Different vaccines work in different ways and we still need to collect important information about which vaccines work best, and are best for different groups of people, and on exactly how effective they are at, for example, preventing severe infection, preventing infection as a whole, preventing transmission etc.
You can join the national effort by signing up for the NHS COVID-19 vaccine research registry. Be part of the fightback against the virus by volunteering to be contacted by researchers to take part in COVID-19 vaccine research.
The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) is working with the NHS and aims to recruit as many people as possible for the vaccine studies. Researchers are looking for people from all backgrounds, ages and parts of the UK - including both people with or without existing health conditions - to take part in vaccine studies.
The registry is available to anyone aged 18 or over, living in the UK. There is no obligation to join in any study, if you are contacted. But by taking part, you could help researchers find vaccines to protect us all more quickly - which in turn could help the NHS and save lives.
Sign up today at https://bepartofresearch.nihr.ac.uk/vaccine-studies/
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Our precious local resource!
Tanya Barnes tells us a bit more about Platinum Ambulance Service
Shipley Parish is well known for its local history for such things as RAF Coolham and the Windmill that featured regularly in Jonathan Creek, but what not everyone may know, is that it is also home to the team at Platinum Ambulance Service - our very own local heroes! In 2016, whilst working in Frontline 999 services for Surrey Ambulance Service and at the same time carrying out medical repatriation services across Europe for the Insurance sector, Sophia Burrell and Tim Mordaunt decided that they wanted to be able to use their skills and experience to provide a free of charge service to charities. That was where it all began for Platinum Ambulance Service. In 2019, they bought Surrey Ambulance Service, which now operates under the ‘Platinum Ambulance’ brand and the company continues to go from strength to strength. Whilst the plan continues to be to grow and develop the business their overriding principle of supporting charities remains at the forefront of the company values – before the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, they had provided over £50,000 of support and services to local charity St Catherine’s Hospice. On January 28th this year, Platinum Ambulance, which is inspected and rated by the Care Quality Commission celebrated its fifth birthday. They now run a fleet of over 60 vehicles which includes Ambulances, fleet stretcher carrying 4×4s, Rapid Response Ambulance Cars, Covert Range Rover Ambulances, and their unique ‘Heard of Horses’, which brings an added USP to their rural and equestrian event support, allowing the team to respond very quickly to incidents in areas that can be difficult for other vehicles to get to. Their high-trained crew of more than 200 people, who operate from their two bases, one here in Shipley and their second base in Ripley, Surrey continues to provide daily 999 frontline services to South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Trust across Surrey, Sussex, and Kent. Their repatriation support for the insurance sector now operates worldwide and they have expanded their services further to include Non-emergency Patient Transport, VIP Medical Support, which
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can include Medical Close Protection Services and Event Medical Support, a local example being the Barns Green Half Marathon. Their teams also often respond to 999 emergencies in and around the local area. At the start of the 2020 lockdown Sophia and Tim wanted to do what they could to offer advice and support to the residents of the Parish. After discussions with Helen Gibbs, who has been involved in the local community for a number of years, a call for volunteers went out across Shipley who could offer their support to the ‘Shipley Parish Volunteer Hub’ that they had created, which is led by Helen. A team of over 30 local residents signed up and continue to provide support across the Parish through the pandemic. Helen says ”Tim, Sophia and the ambulance crew have been a wonderful support for me and our local volunteers since the start of lockdown. They have always been there with advice on emergency planning, medical information on Covid and the pandemic, help with the more complex cases and most importantly a friendly ear! We have been so lucky to have their active support, especially at such a busy time for them. Their personal and corporate commitment to the local community in Shipley is really clear”. In the Spring of 2020, Platinum Ambulance were able to launch a Covid-19 testing service, offering those living in the local community the opportunity to have Covid tests before anyone else. This is a service they still offer to local residents and have now expanded following a number of enquiries from schools, members of the public across London, Surrey, Sussex, and Hampshire as well as businesses asking for regular employee testing, which is helping local business to continue working in these difficult times. They have recently launched their new testing centre located at The All England Jumping Course, Hickstead, just off the A23 in West Sussex where there are a wide range of tests available. Details are available on their Covid-19 Testing website https://www.mytestforcovid19.co.uk/. Tim, Sophia, and the team are committed to helping the local community wherever they can in these difficult times and often respond to varied calls for help where their specialist skills and resources may be able to assist.
To find out more about Platinum Ambulance Service visit https://www.platinumambulance.com/
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St Mary’s: a history
Many years ago, Joan Lindsay researched and wrote about the history of Shipley Church. Gordon recently shared Joan’s draft with us. With the help of the Shipley History Society and Peter Sanderson, who wrote the Church Guide available in the Church, the remaining few drafting notes and questions Joan left have been filled in and her work finished. We know there remain points of detail lost to history, and unresolved inconsistencies with other accounts. That is the essence of history. This is the first part of Joan’s account.
Apart from a glimpse of the tower peeping above the scattering of houses that constitute Shipley village, the church of St. Mary the Virgin lies hidden from view. It is not until passing through the gate at the northwest corner of the village and along the path of massive Horsham stone slabs that the church itself becomes visible, startling in its austere simplicity and monumental scale. Its size and almost fortified appearance is out of keeping with this placid parish of a mere twelve hundred persons, its population scarcely altered through the centuries so far as parish records can be traced. The clue lies in St. Mary’s immediate geography. Just in the southwest of the churchyard a footpath dips down across water meadows that form a sizeable basin intersected by the River Adur. Now a gently meandering stream –although in heavy rains its level can still rise dramatically in a few hours – the Adur was once navigable through Steyning to the coast at Shoreham. When the Roman Empire collapsed the network of military roads built to allow mobility of troops fell into disrepair, and water became an increasingly important means of travel in medieval and Norman Britain. Shipley, lying almost in the centre of the clay Weald, was an important staging post in travel from London to the Continent, of which there was a substantial amount following the Norman Conquest. The route from London to the South Coast was via the Thames and Wey rivers as far as Cranleigh and then overland on horseback or foot through St. Leonard’s Forest to Shipley, where the woodland gave way to a clearing and the start of a navigable route via the Adur to Shoreham. It was almost certainly the strategic importance of the site that led the Knights Templar to place their southern preceptory, or priory, at Shipley, as they extended their influence in Britain in the 13th century. Barges were moored along wharves in the basin of the Adur below the church and carried timber and iron, the manufacture of which was a principal Wealden industry, to the coast and beyond to Normandy. More romantically, the barges also carried pilgrims and the soldier-priests of the Knights Templar as they set out on crusades. The large stone standing in the corner of the south porch is a reminder of those times, almost certainly a
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medieval bollard removed from the basin when it was no longer needed for mooring boats. Thus, its early history accounts for the importance of St. Mary’s above that of a purely parish church serving only local worshippers. That however – the offering of Christian worship to the local population – St. Mary has also done, for well over a thousand years and continues to do in a great and undiminished tradition. Shipley remains a separate parish, its borders unchanged since Norman times, with Sunday services as well as services on feast days.
The Knights Templar and Shipley
The parish of St. Mary the Virgin lies in the northern part of the diocese of Chichester, in the centre of the Sussex Weald. It is extensive in size, some seven miles long and three wide, covering a little under 8,000 acres. It has no clear centre but is rather a collection of small hamlets. The name Shipley has been spelled in various ways through the ages: Sepelei, Schepley, Scapelei to mention a few, all derived from the Saxon word meaning “sheep pasture”. Shipley is mentioned in the Domesday Book as coming within the rape (the Norman administrative unit) of William de Braose, a Norman supporter of William the Conqueror. Shipley’s relationship with the Templars began some twenty odd years after their founding in 1118, when nine Frankish Crusaders in Jerusalem banded together with the aim of protecting pilgrims on their way to the Holy Land. They took vows of poverty and lived under monastic rule, thus combining the twin passions of the period, religious fervour and martial skill and adding the discipline of the monk to the discipline of the soldier. Pope Innocent II took the order under his personal protection and that enabled the Templars to build a substantial power base and accumulate great wealth with extraordinary rapidity. Their English base was established in 1128 and during Stephen’s reign alone some sixty charters were granted. Shipley was granted to the Templars at this time. There is some disagreement about the dating of St. Mary’s. The area of undressed stone towards the west end and the doubled splayed windows set within it are pointed to as evidence of Saxon origin, possibly as early as ninth century. The contending view* is that these features continued to be relatively common in post-Norman domestic and church architecture throughout the 12th century and that the most likely scenario is that the church was built, or more likely re-built from an existing parish church, in the 12th century by the Knights Templars. A likely date is about 1134, very shortly following the ascension of King Stephen to the throne and the granting of the charter of Shipley Church to the Templars.
* Richard Gem, An Early Church of the Knights Templar at Shipley Sussex, Anglo-Norman Studies VI (Proceedings of the Battle Conference 1983), ed. R. Allen Brown, Woodbridge 1984.
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If this supposition is correct, the church at Shipley must have been one of the earliest of the Knights Templar buildings. Certainly, in its austere simplicity and minimal ornamentation it owed much to the teachings of the Cistercians, and bears no resemblance to the lavish, domed architecture of the New Temple, the Templars’ English headquarters built in 1161, which was so typical of their later style when their wealth and power was at its peak. Wealth and influence were the seeds of the Templars’ destruction as the early ideal of an order of pious soldier-monks changed into a sophisticated and international network of diverse activities: farms, transport, property management, banking and the creation of a standing army. Inevitably this brought resentment and envy, from both church and governments, which were eager to obtain the Templars’ revenues for their own use. The failure of the last Crusades and the retaking of Jerusalem by the Muslims weakened the Templars and in the early 14th century the order was dissolved by Pope Clement. In England Edward II dispossessed the Templars, and in Shipley the church was turned over to the Knights Hospitaller, who remained in possession until 1540. Thus, the history of the Knights Templar is a brief one, lasting barely a century. Nothing is left of their priory buildings, although medieval artefacts are sometimes found when graves are dug, as are oyster shells, pointing to its former use as a preceptory. Nonetheless the influence of this short but dramatic history on Shipley church is palpable, making it architecturally one of the most interesting of the Norman buildings in Sussex.
Architecture of the Church
Pevsner and Nairn write about St. Mary: “a most impressive Early Norman building” that is “slightly impaired” by the addition of a north aisle and vestry in the year 1893. The Norman part of the church is comprised of a long (some 65 feet), unaisled nave, a central tower without transepts and a rectangular chancel. Pevsner recommends looking at the building first from the south, where the huge scale is immediately apparent. He points out that towers without transepts were comparatively common in early Norman churches, and that the narrow, Saxon proportions of the south doorway and the double-splayed windows betray strong Saxon influence; “…it must be one of the latest and oddest examples of Saxo- Norman overlap in the country.” It is worth noting the original Norman stonework. The massive tower is supported on square columns 8 to 9 feet thick. The arch dividing tower and nave is simply decorated with roll mouldings and designs of chevrons and alternating triangular shapes, resembling beak-heads. It rests on capitals and short lengths of half-columns that stop on corbels decorated with grotesque heads. The second arch, separating tower and chancel, is of three orders, with minimal decoration.
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Church records show two 19th century restorations, one in 1830 and one in 1893. M.M. Hickman states that in 1830 the church consisted of a single nave. Two aisles were added on the north side, and a room on the south side next to the porch. The short, shingled spire, in poor condition, was taken down and replaced by the present parapet top to the tower. At the same time the azure and gold painted flat ceiling, decorated with the armorial bearings of the Lucy family who owned Goringlee in the 15th century, was repaired and then subsequently removed in the 1893 restoration when a new side aisle, replacing those on the north side was also added. The earliest known representation of the church is a Petrie watercolour dated 1805 held in the Sharpe collection in Lewes. It shows a view from the northwest, largely unchanged today except for the shingled spire above the tower. The second restoration in 1892-3 was designed and carried out by John Loughborough Pearson (1817-97). Loughborough was a master of Victorian Gothic architecture and is particularly known for the cathedral in Truro and the imposing St. Augustine church in Kilburn Park Road in London. In some ways he was a curious choice for the restoration of a small, Norman parish church and certainly his ideas provoked local controversy. At the instigation of the diocese a number of local meetings were held to decide which parts of his scheme were to go ahead. One part that did not was the removal of the imposing alabaster memorial to the Caryll family. The rationale for this idea seems to have been that Carylls no longer lived in the parish, had several memorials in other local churches and that it took up space in the chancel. Many changes however did proceed, and according to the plaque just to the north of the West Door, were paid for by Etheldreda Lady Burrell of Knepp Castle and her father Sir Robert Loder. She must have been carrying out his wishes, for he died in 1888, four years before the work was begun. The north aisle was demolished and rebuilt, making it five feet narrower than the 1830 original. The flat nave ceiling was removed (see above) and the inside of the roof stripped out to expose the trusses and rafters. The stonework was repaired, an organ installed, and new pews of oak replaced the old pews, reducing seating capacity from 540 to 302. Although the 19th century refurbishments, and particularly the addition of the north aisle, have been disparaged, it is probable that they were an improvement (particularly for parishioners) on the earlier church. Evidence of a gallery across the nave exists in Chichester records of 1632, which show to whom the gallery seats belonged. The gallery, the 500+ seats, and the low, flat ceiling over the nave must have been claustrophobic in such a long, narrow space. An account in 1835 states that the inside of the church was “disfigured by injudicious erection of its galleries and the whole of the interior arrangement [was] very incommodious for the parishioners.” Architecturally the church has altered little since this last 19th century work.
The second part of Joan’s article will be included in the April and May 2021 Shipley Parish News
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Hoorah for Google-Meet!
Gina Larcombe reports
During this current lockdown, against the odds, we have managed to get to grips with the internet and learnt how to set up Google-Meet! The joy of this has enabled us to see and stay in touch with friends and family for social occasions.
For instance on Burns Night, Derek and I along with Jean and Ray Wright and Gordon Lindsay, celebrated in our own homes with supper thanks to the Countryman’s wonderful take-away. Gordon read the Selkirk grace before we ate and then addressed the haggis as well as proposing a toast to the lassies! A most enjoyable a very sociable evening was had by all.
We have also arranged tea and cake afternoons where we take turns in providing cake, it being left on doorsteps at a safe social distance! It really is a very nice way to spend time with friends.
Lately, I have been cooking with my grandchildren every week (one eleven year old and two are thirteen). They choose a main course and dessert and then we spend a happy 2 hours together preparing and cooking the family meal using Google-Meet. We have exactly the same ingredients of course and off we go! It is a lovely way spend time with them which would be impossible otherwise. They are very proud of the meals they produce and it gives the parents a night off! What could be better?
Here is a screen shot of a finished main course with vegetables that thirteen year old Will made. It is only the second time he has cooked a full meal. The dessert, a syrup sponge was being kept warm. You can just see me in the corner holding my version!
I should say that the screen shot was taken by Will… I am still learning!
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And two more screen shots this time with Zach and Alice. We cooked fish pie for mains an apple sponges for dessert. These screenshots are mine as I now know how!
We have all enjoyed cooking together and have more menus planned to keep us going through lockdown.
I hope that this gives readers some ideas of how to stay in touch with family and friends through these difficult and often lonely times.
Shipley Parish News: Subscriptions Now Due!
Lucy West
Hello everyone, the Parish News subscriptions are now due please, and will stay at £6 for magazines delivered to your door, but with the recent increase in postage we will have to charge £12 for postal delivery. Since we are still in lockdown, we’ve decided it’s not a good idea for money to be collected on the doorstep, so this is how you can pay:
Put your £6 cash or cheque payable to Shipley PCC in an envelope and post it through the door of the person who delivers your magazine.
Pay directly into the church bank account by BACS transfer, putting your name and MAG as reference. Account name: Shipley PCC Sort code: 30- 94-41 Account no: 00282667
If you’re not sure who delivers your Parish News or if you get it by post, you can send a cheque payable to Shipley PCC to Lucy West, The Old Vicarage, School Lane, Shipley, RH13 8PL
Thank you very much. Any problems call Lucy on 01403 741912
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The Forgotten Jobs...
Michael Kingerlee looks down his to-do list at the start of the year…
During the winter it is an ideal time to do the little tasks that can so easily be forgotten but they will save you time and money if you do them now.
Check that the smoke alarms are working. Check that there are fire extinguisher in the house where needed and that they are in date. If you have not got one consider purchasing one or two. Give the central heating thermostat a clean. Internal dust can affect their efficiency. Defrost the deep freeze if requited and check the contents for the odd items that have fallen to the bottom. Go through the store cupboard and check the “Best Before Date” and the “Use By Date”. Throw out any product that has passed its use by date, and mark items that have passed their best before dates. You can then decide how long they are passed this date and if you wish to use them. Check that the flower vases are clean. If not soak them in bleach. Check that your cloths are protected against moth, and either place woollen items in plastic containers or bags. Check also that any moth preventers are in date. The zips on coats often get stuck and can be difficult to start. This can be solved by giving them a wipe with washing-up liquid and they will work like new! Clean the garden furniture and re-oil it if required. Check that the BBQ was cleaned when it was put away for the winter. Clean and sharpen all the garden tools, so they are a pleasure to use and not a struggle.
For all those Garden Tools, here’s some tips and tricks to keep them in good working order
TOOLS REQUIRED: Metal file, hammer, adjustable spanner, sharpening diamond stone or oil stones, 3 in one oil and a rag. A n electric grind stone will help with the badly damaged blunt edges which should be sharp.
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Spades, shovels, forks, and rakes: Check that the handles are tight. If not soak them in a water butt. If the rake prongs are bent these should be straightened. See if the shovel has a burr on the end In which case file it off. Wipe all the metal parts down with an oily rag. Hoes & half- moon turf cutters: These all can be sharpened on both sides of the blade. Use a file to improve their cutting ability. A sharp hoe will cut the hoeing time, and take far less effort especially on a clay soil. Saws: These are difficult to sharpen and set, but just give them a good clean and oil. If they are very blunt it is wise to replace the blade especially on pruning saws. Mowers & Other machines: If you are not getting the machine serviced give it a good clean and a wipe down with an oily rag. You can also clean the air filter in accordance with the instructions. It is then wise to start the machine and if possible run the fuel dry as this will prevent the carburettor from clogging up. Garden Bamboos: Check the base of all used bamboos as if they snap when they are being pushed into the ground they can cause a nasty injury. Give them a bend and if they snap cut them back to sound wood. Garden Brooms: Give these a clean and check that the handle is firm. Garden plastic labels: These can be wiped clean. If they are written on, the writing can be sanded off with a fine sandpaper. Axes: To sharpen these it is best to use an electric grind stone as this will give you a very good edge quickly. Loppers: These are sharpened on one side of the cutting blade. Rub the cutting edge with a small diamond sharpener or oil stone in the direction of the edge keeping the sharpener at the same angle as the bevel. Make sure there is no burr on the other side of the blade, or on the un-sharped blade. It is sharp when you cannot see the edge. Check that the pivot bolt has not become loose and tighten if necessary with a spanner. Give it a wipe down with an oily rag. Secateurs: There are two types of secateurs, Anvil and Bypass. The Bypass type are sharpened as the loppers above. The Anvil type is sharpened on both sides of the blade as it cuts down onto a solid surface or anvil Shears: Most shear blades have two bevels and the narrow one nearest to the cutting edge is the one to sharpen, however the set of the blades are equally important. Make sure that the screw or bolt holding the blades together is tight, without impairing the movement. Scrap off any plant residue and oil the joint. Garden Pressure sprays: Fill these with clean water with a few drops of soapy solution. Then pressurize them and spray out the water to give them a good clean. It you have any graphite apply it to the rubber washer which will help with its efficiency.
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Your Album Needs You!
The Shipley Hub is once again collecting Lock-Down photos!
For the pleasure of Shipley residents who can’t get out and about at the moment, we want to capture this Winter/Spring season through a collection of your photos; things going on in the Parish, in the countryside, or in your home or garden. You can send in any picture you like to [email protected] regardless of whether you took it on the best Nikon equipment or your old mobile phone! We will upload it onto the website and hope to build a nice collection.
You can see the growing Winter collection, and also the collection from the Summer, on www.ShipleyHub.co.uk.
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The Wombles of Horsham
Carrie Cort of Sussex Green Living reports
What are Wombles doing in our Sussex Green Living team, I hear you ask? Many of you will not be old enough to remember the Wombles, but sadly (shows my age) I do!
The Wombles started in 1968 as a series of books by Elizabeth Beresford, conceived in a walk with her children upon Wimbledon Common. They were a group of small burrowing ecology-friendly animals. As the environmental threat darkened, their hopeful message of recycling and responsible eating struck a growing chord with an increasingly concerned public. By the mid-1970s they had spawned a TV series, a merchandising range and a pop group whose songs charted well, in the parlance of the times.
The essence of a Womble is to go around clearing up the ghastly mess which humanity discards, especially plastic. And how we need them now! According to Global Citizen, plastic production has more than tripled since the '90s”. It also shows half the world's plastic was made after 2003. Thanks to documentaries like Drowning in Plastic and Blue Planet the world has generally awoken to the problem.
Sussex Green Living have about 20 lead volunteers, ”Wombles”, actively helping with recycling in Horsham and 12 village locations. It started in 2012 when I launched Sussex Green Living, I signed up to collect with TerraCycle. In those days it was me and if I was lucky, my young son, collecting, sorting and dispatching. Gradually volunteers stepped forwards. Our first wonderful volunteer, Sarah joined in about 2016. She still helps out with the plastics and does a fantastic job managing our Facebook page
Not only do we have Horsham and 12 villages collecting with us but lots of schools and churches. In December alone we launched three village recycling drop off points with new Wombles. Continues
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Chief Womble, Joy Carter, is a Gran on a mission! She leads our main Horsham team and co-ordinates the dispatches from our new recycling hub. Joy's plea is "Please help the planet through diverting these TerraCycle hard to recycle plastics into our scheme.” She continues "If we don't recycle them they are transported to Europe for incineration, causing climate change. This generates refuse derived fuel - but how much fossil fuel is used in the process?”
Income generated through our recycling scheme benefits: Purple Community Fund, Springboard Project, William Penn School, Kent, Surrey and Sussex Air Wombles at the Quaker Meeting House in Horsham Ambulance and Sussex Green Living.
On the page opposite is a handy guide to what can be recycled through our schemes. If you have any questions about what to recycle message Joy through the Facebook page, details below.
There are various sites in and around the area where single use plastics can be taken for recycling. We actually have one just inside the parish up at the William Penn School in Coolham, where all items can be recycled. There are also sites at the Horsham Quaker Meeting House, in Billingshurst at The Chapel on the High Street, The Owl Pub at Kingsfold and at the Chapel House in Barns Green. You can see all the locations here at https://www.sussexgreenliving.co.uk/ recycling-zone/single-use/.
For a little fun sit back and listen the Wombles song "Make Good Use of Bad Rubbish" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWQMMPFtoG4 Enjoy!
Please do consider joining our Wombling team as a collector or volunteer some time to help or spread the word!
https://www.facebook.com/SussexGreenLiving
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27 Shipley Parish News
Losing the Lockdown “load”!
Benji from Meadow Hall Vets shares his tips for our fellow pets
Hey I’m Benji and I work at Meadow Hall Vets in Thakeham. I’m 3 doggie years old and my Mum still lives with me. Guess what she said this week... “Benjamin, you’ve put a “load” on in Lockdown and I’m putting you on “special measures” to lose your load!!” Humph….!
For those who don’t already know, me and Mum are working from home ’coz of the virus. It’s great, but it does mean I can’t go on our super clever mat (scales) at work. Have you tried it? It’s awesome. I sit on it, get a treat and THEN it tells Auntie Sophie (our vet) how much I weigh! Mum had to weigh me on her “not so clever” mat and I’m now 0.4kg heavier – honestly it’s absolutely nothing to do with me eating more treatsies!
Anyway, here’s my “special measures” which you might find helpful if you’ve put a “load” on in Lockdown too:
Cut down portion sizes – I usually have a yellow scoop of dry food, now I have the smaller blue scoop. My food is magic though… look how much a little blue scoop of food looks like when it’s got water added. Less treatsies – As we’re working from home, I meet my Nanny (I’m in charge of Nanny cuddles while the “virus” is about) on our daily exercise to keep her company. I love my Nanny she gives me little
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biscuits when I’m good! But Mum says this means I can’t have as many other treatsies during the day! Stay active – ah this one is great. I love my walkies and I love playing ball so mum says we’re going to play ball more and do longer walkies… yippee win win on this one!!
If you’re worried about your weight, try these tips or give your us a call 01798 817372 or book an appointment with our vet Sophie. If you’re a member a of our Healthy Paws Club PLUS the cost of your appointment is included.
Lots of wags!
Benji xx
www.meadowhallvets.co.uk 3 Abingworth Crescent, Thakeham RH20 3GW Telephone 01798 817372
Kingerlee Konundrum
Michael Kingerlee reports on a K9 Konundrum
I have read several article suggesting that dogs should be feed on a vegetarian diet to save the planet by reducing the need for so many cattle which contribute to global warming. But Beware! Don’t think about it until the veg patch is fenced. Whenever my wife chopped carrots when our spaniel Trizza was young, Trizza came and sat by, so my wife dropped a piece of carrot which she eat with enthusiasm. Now Trizza is an adult dog and loves nearly all vegetables which she gets as non-fattening tit bits. However this year she has learnt that vegetables either come from the kitchen fridge or picked from the vegetable plot, in which case they put into a basket to bring in doors. So now whenever we are picking a crop and not looking she helps herself to it in the basket. She now enjoys carrots, broccoli, sprouts, lettuce, swiss chard, spinach & beans. The beans are one of her favourites as she has found that some of them grow near the ground and she can pick them herself. Fortunately she has not learnt to dig for carrots yet!
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Sussex Wildlife Trust: the Brimstone Butterfly
Chloe Harrison, of Sussex Wildlife Trust, in a new regular feature, provides some notes on our local wild companions
As this is my first article for the Shipley Parish News I had better introduce myself. I’ve been working for Sussex Wildlife Trust for the past ten years inspiring and engaging people with the wonderful (and weird) wildlife of our county. I’ll be writing about seasonal wildlife in this magazine starting with March one of my favourite months. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve enjoyed the bleak beauty of winter: bare trees, frosted landscapes. But now I need something to get my heart racing. I need a sign – some hope in these challenging times, a promise of those dynamic spring months ahead, a flash of colour. In March my light at the end of the tunnel is an oncoming butterfly.
The Brimstone Butterfly, photo by Bob Eade
On sculpted, vibrant yellow wings the Brimstone butterfly makes his elegant entrance into the New Year on those bright March days when you feel the warmth of the sun on your face.
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Its distinctive yellow wings have given birth to a legend – that this ‘butter- coloured fly’ was the inspiration for the word butterfly. This claim may be a myth and it’s also untrue that these March Brimstones are the first signs of the year’s new life. By the time Brimstones appear in March they are already on their last (six) legs. Fresh Brimstone butterflies emerged from their chrysalises in late summer, so by February they could be seven months old – and in butterfly years that’s ancient. Admittedly almost all of that time they’ve been asleep in a hedge, sheltered from the storms under Holly and Ivy. Yet despite the worst winter weather they always emerge immaculate in the spring. They must be made of Teflon. When they awake the (bright yellow) males search for a mate, they mate, the (pale yellow) females lay eggs and then both die. Still, an adult life of over ten months earns them the title of our longest-lived butterfly. An insect OAP.
My first Brimstone sighting each year doesn’t exactly mean that spring is starting but it’s certainly a sign that winter is starting to end. And, after the tough winter that we’ve all just suffered, that’s good enough for me. Either way this beautiful yellow butterfly is a welcome messenger of what’s to come – the first sulphurous spark to ignite the blaze of spring.
Let’s hope that with the spring comes hope for a brighter for us all. Sussex Wildlife Trust have started working with Horsham District Council on an innovative five-year partnership project called Wilder Horsham District. We’ll be working closely with local communities and landowners to reverse the decline in species and habitats and enrich the natural environment for all residents and visitors. You can find out more about the project on our webpage https:// sussexwildlifetrust.org.uk/wilderhorshamdistrict.
I’ll keep you updated with opportunities for you to get involved and help the wildlife around the parish of Shipley.
Find out more at https://sussexwildlifetrust.org.uk/
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We started the term with the last minute closure announcement and staff had to work incredibly hard to make a rapid switch to remote learning. We pay tribute to the efforts of parents to support their children’s learning at home; it is not an easy task and much of it is reliant on access to technology and broadband. However, we have all learned new skills: downloading, uploading, using platforms such as Google classrooms, making videos, using Zoom, Teams or Google Meets - these will serve us well in the future digital world. We were allocated one laptop from the government’s scheme. If anyone in the community is able to donate devices or has any business link that may help us with this, we would be extremely grateful. About 30% of the children are attending school during the pandemic and have created this super banner about HOPE. They are the first children to try out our new multi- purpose track snaking around the edge of the school field. It means we are able to access the field for walking, running, biking and scootering in the wet weather. The track and landscaping was done by local company Arbour and includes a mini amphitheatre which will look great when the grass and field recovers. The school are participating in a project called South Downs Generations which will involve creating a guided walk to the Shipley radio bunker. The website may be of interest to members of the community and has some really interesting historical information about the area: https:// southdownsgenerations.org.uk/
Contact: [email protected]
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THE WEST CHILTINGTON VILLAGE SHOW Saturday 17th July Something to Celebrate, Come and Join Us
In these dark days we all need to look forward to, something to celebrate. Our committee are playing their part by doing everything possible to support our local community and businesses by holding a show this year. The Competitions, again sponsored by Nyetimber Estate, are similar to last year. If you Sow & Grow, Make & Bake, Paint & Print or are a Young Person then why not have a go – full details and hints/tips are on our web site. We are working on a new and exciting programme of entertainment, stalls, car show, sports, dog show, refreshments, and lots more for a full afternoon of fun in the sun. But we haven’t forgotten the traditional favourites including Tug of War, Children’s races, Coconut shy, Skittles, Splat the Rat and many more.
To keep the show fresh and vibrant, we are always looking for new stalls and entertainers; if you know of anyone who would like to be involved please contact Nick on [email protected] We are incredibly positive in our approach but realise if vigilance and vaccine do not defeat the virus, we may have to make changes. We will be watching as events unfold and will keep you up to date through this excellent magazine and our website. See more at the website www.westchiltshow.org
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The FOSS report
We have not even been back to school due to lockdown #3 as I write this on Jan 13th 2021, so let us focus on the positives of Dec 2020 first... Our in-house school Winter wonderland on the last day of term raised £496.93. We started the festivities with a spectacular Packed ‘Christmas’ lunch, which was provided by FOSS for participating pupils and staff. A choice of either a Turkey or Cheddar cheese sandwich, a gingerbread character biscuit, packet of crisps, a satsuma and even chocolate sprouts, and not forgetting the environmentally friendly napkins and Christmas crackers to help make their lunch go with a ‘Bang’! The children were delighted with the novel Packed lunch, instead of the usual Christmas Roast dinner, however with over 160 slices of bread to butter, and satsumas etc being dropped into bags everywhere you looked, making sure everyone got their sandwich filling of choice, and extra goodies in the allotted two hours most certainly took military precision and organisation of highest sandwich making skills! And I can confirm, that everyone got their requests lunch, and NO, the choc sprouts were NOT literally choc dipped sprouts, as some children thought! A huge thanks to school governor and parent James Cuthbertson and his business partner Heath Ball, from The Lochhart Tavern in Haywards Heath, who very kindly donated and cooked for us a whopper of a Free- range turkey crown for the sandwiches. Also thank you to the manager Tony for a generous donation of £10 from The Co-op at Buckbarn towards the cost of the lunches. Father Christmas popped in for a flying social distanced visit, dropping gifts off bags of gifts to each class for the children. We had a beautiful Christmas tree grown locally in Shipley, kindly donated by The Knepp Castle estate, and delivered to the school by Knepp estate Stockman and parent, Patrick Toe, where the committee then decorated
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it, (laying it down flat on the playground due to the height, and then with some hilarity as it was lifted into place, as the baubles (donated from parents ) which looked evenly distributed and centred on the ground, Most, certainly were not, when it stood upright!! However, a few alterations and it stood with pride of place in the school playground, keeping pupils busy at play times counting the decorations, hoping they would be the person closest to the winning number (190!) - the 5 pupils closest to the correct amount won Chocolate tree decorations to take home, and on the last day of term, the schools silent auction, winner of the tree was announced. Mr Steven Cant - who had the tree in his garden over the festive period. Finally, on the last day of term and wanting to do something fun for the children and staff who, have had the most trickiest of years with the current Pandemic causing misery and mayhem, FOSS was allowed to set up a snow machine in the school playground and played Christmas music for the staff, parents and children, and Hot chocolate and sweets from ‘Mrs Claus’ tuck shop’ were sold. Where great ‘social distanced’ Fun was had by all! Putting Christmas aside and now focusing on what are able to manage in 2021 so far, FOSS were able to track down (what seemed like ‘Mission Impossible’) and purchase 6 copies of ‘The Invention of Hugo Cabret’ by Brian Selznick for a class topic. A book that all the FOSS committee now want to read, as it is sold out all over the internet...so...if anyone has a spare copy lurking on their bookshelf that they would like to donate, The school would be very grateful. We don’t know what else we will be able to do this year yet in terms of fundraising, however we have our latest project to provide Ash class with some shade in their outdoor area ready for the summer and we are currently organising quotes from Local Business, and adding the wooden climbing turtle to last year’s sensory area and adding wood-chip to the area, will keep us busy when we are allowed to venture out again from lockdown #3. Don’t forget, if you would like to help raise money for the school, you can join our school lottery www.yourschoollottery.co.uk for £1 a week, or add AmazonSmile to your online Amazon shopping, which generates money for free for our school.
The FOSS Team – Sarah, Gillian, Amy & Toyah www.facebook.com/FOSS.Group [email protected]
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Get Knitting during Lockdown!
Age UK West Sussex, Brighton & Hove (WSBH) is urging local knitters to support older people in the area this year by using time in lockdown to create miniature hats for the innocent Big Knit campaign. Each hat collected to adorn innocent smoothie bottles raises 25p for the charity, directly supporting its work with some of the most vulnerable people locally. This year, support for the Big Knit is more vital than ever as many over 65s have suffered during the Covid-19 pandemic and have turned to Age UK WSBH for help. The charity has been delivering food and medication to doorsteps as well as offering a brand new befriending service for those feeling isolated and lonely. There are a selection of hat designs to choose from and Age UK WSBH is inviting everyone - whether a purling pro or knitting newbie - to give it a try, by getting one of the hat patterns and joining the campaign. Designs include a dinosaur, lion, unicorn and duck and there are patterns to suit all abilities including classic beginner bobble hats, crochet options and other fun characters knitters can even create and design their own. Helen Rice, Chief Executive at Age UK WSBH said “The Big Knit with innocent is in its 17th year now, but it has never been more needed. The pandemic has hugely affected our income, at a time when demand for our services is higher than ever. Fundraising initiatives like this, which can still continue despite Covid restrictions, are so important. I know many people are using the time at home to try new hobbies, so if you fancy giving knitting a try, why not do some good at the same time? Our target is 40,000 – no mean feat, so we’d be incredibly grateful for your support.” Hat patterns can be downloaded from https://www.thebigknit.co.uk/knitting- patterns. Those without internet access can call us on 01903 731 800 to request patterns. Once knitted, people should hang on to their hats at the moment, until they can be posted or collected after lockdown. Once lockdown is lifted, the AUKWSBH website www.ageuk.org.uk/westsussexbrightonhove will carry any updates, or you can call on 01903 731 800.
For more information about Age UK, go to https://www.ageuk.org.uk/horshamdistrict/
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Lockdown army delivers meals, and support!
Age UK West Sussex, Brighton & Hove (WSBH) has teamed up with West Sussex County Council (WSCC) to deliver home cooked meals, wellbeing and energy advice to over 50s locally. The initiative, which runs until the end of March 2021, aims to ensure older people have nutritious food, a warm home and someone to turn to during the latest lockdown. Funded by WSCC, homecooked frozen meals and desserts can be delivered directly to doorsteps for a suggested donation of just £2 (those on low incomes can receive these free of charge). The meals can be delivered 2 – 3 times a week by Age UK’s friendly volunteers. Helen Rice, Chief Executive at Age UK WSBH said “This latest lockdown is so tough on all of us, but particularly on older people, many of whom live alone. Supermarket delivery slots can be hard to come by, so to help we wanted to deliver pre-prepared, nutritional meals to doorsteps. We also want to make sure that people have energy advice, so that they can heat their homes efficiently and keep their bills low. With phone advice for anyone facing difficulties rounding off the package, we hope we can be there for people, whatever they’re are facing. Lockdown is hard, but we hope to make life that little bit easier for older people locally.” Duncan Crow, West Sussex County Council Cabinet Member for Fire & Rescue and Communities, said: “The funding that has been given to Age UK WSBH is part of the Covid Winter Grant scheme, which is money provided to us by the Government to help support projects that look after the most vulnerable members of our community. We are really happy to be working with Age UK WSBH in their work to make sure that some of the more vulnerable people in the county are kept well in both mind and body during these very trying times.” Meals are made by Age UK WSBH’s in house chefs and menus change regularly. Those with specific needs or dietary requirements can contact the charity to discuss these.
Anyone interested in receiving meals, energy advice or other support should call 01903 731 800 or email [email protected]
37 Shipley Parish News
Countryman
The promise of snow in West Sussex would have excited many youngsters and disappointed some of the less enthusiastic people who think that snow is more of a disruption than fun. The recent yellow and amber weather warnings that were forecasted for Shipley have not translated in any poor weather conditions, whether snow or rain. It is no surprise that poor weather is being forecasted because January and February are the toughest of months to endure. I always get through these months because the onset of Spring is just around the corner.
On Christmas Day 2020 we spotted Walking up Smithers Hill Lane I snapped these the first daffodils in flower; it is always two ewes patiently waiting for Spring a perfect fillip to get us through these dark months. On the verge next to the Countryman Pub there was a pop of bright yellow and the daffodils really cheered us up. On the Bluebell theme from the front cover, some walks I have done recently like Boar Lane and Pound Lane, I am excited to see the Bluebells starting to peep through.
There is such beauty in the winter and as a photographer the low light can be a blessing and a challenge. Personally, I love it and I can take some lovely images during this season. Black and white photography works really well in the winter. This shot on the left demonstrates that quite well, at this time of year there is often very little colour so Winter photography lends itself to a monochrome approach. Staying on a horsey theme, the photo on the next page shows the beauty of low winter light. I was taking a photograph of this beautifully backlit tree with sun illuminating the puddles on the path.
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Sometimes as a photographer you can get lucky. On this occasion as I was doing prep for the shot of the tree and a couple of horse riders came round the corner giving the photograph a lot more interest. The same would be true if it was a walker, it gives a focal point and some good perspective to the image.
I am recovering very well from my operation in November and our level of walking has increased significantly during lockdown 3 as I progress through my recuperation. We are regularly aiming for at least 10,000 steps a day. I’m sure this isn’t much in comparison to the many local doggie walkers but we are proud that our activity levels have increased. We are getting fitter and our stamina is increasing which has got to be a good thing. It is such a welcome release to get out and about, as much to get a change of scene and to watch and listen. As I write, mid- January, there were small signs of Spring. The birds were more active and noisier than normal and little signs of growth in the verges all point to the start of Spring.
The poor weather and restrictions have made the footpaths and bridleways in the parish a little less congested which is a positive. Before the local restrictions came in, we visited the RSPB Pulborough Brooks reserve. It is a lovely place to visit at any time of year. The walks are very accessible and there are fun things for the children to do and see. Winter scene at RSPB Pulborough Brooks prior to the new restrictions
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If you want to learn about ducks get down there soon. Question do any Ducks nest in trees? Answer: Yes - The mandarin duck nests in holes in trees, sometimes high up and a long way from the water. Shortly after the ducklings hatch, the female flies down and tries to coax the young to jump from the nest. There are loads of other fun facts to learn as you go around the reserve, and lots of wildlife to spy as you walk Long Tailed Tit at the feeding garden at Pulborough Brooks around.
Who loves Lockdown? There are key workers who cannot work from home but for those of us who haven’t ventured into the office or those who aren’t working, the restrictions mean more time at home. Our pets and ponies have never had so much uninterrupted attention. I think our cats are loving it and I’m sure the dogs in the parish are feeling the same increase in one-to-one “If I sit here maybe the birds will not notice me…” time. Kitten in hunting mode
Let’s hope that 2021 brings more certainty and better times for everyone. Enjoy the start of Spring with the hope that everyone gets a vaccine soon and enjoys a healthy and happy 2021.
Your Countryman
40 Website edition: February and March 2021
Gina cooks… ...Squash & ricotta bake Having had a glut of pumpkin squashes last year and which we are still eating up, I have been frantically looking for different ways of using them and so was thrilled to find a recipe in a magazine. However, it looked rather long-winded for my style of cooking so I decided to apply my own modus operandi and see what happened. And I must say that it was rather delicious, so with apologies but mainly thanks to Diana Henry the originator of the recipe, for inspiring me.
Ingredients
1 pumpkin squash or butternut squash Olive oil 1 medium leek, cleaned and sliced 1 clove garlic, chopped 6oz / 150g spinach washed and finely chopped 1oz / 25g butter 3/4oz / 75g orzo or other pasta shapes, cooked 2oz / 50g grated cheese, cheddar or other strong tasting cheese 2oz / 50g grated parmesan Good grating of nutmeg Tub of ricotta Salt and pepper
Method
Cut the squash in half and remove the seeds. Coat the flesh liberally with olive oil and bake until cooked. In the meantime melt the butter with plenty of pepper and a few grindings of salt in a large pan and sauté the leek for a few minutes until softening. Then stir in the spinach with lots of grated nutmeg. Put on the lid and over a low heat, wilt the spinach. Take off the heat and put to one side. Take the cooked squash out of the oven and spoon out the flesh in lumps. Add this to the leeks and spinach and then add the pasta and cheese giving a good stir. Next stir in the ricotta starting with half of the tub and adding more if required to loosen the mix. It mustn’t be too dry. Then transfer to a baking dish and bake for 20-30 minutes in a fairly hot oven until bubbling. Serve hot with crusty bread and salad or broccoli. Any left overs are delicious served cold with salad so no need to waste anything! Gina Larcombe
41 Shipley Parish News
Defibrillators Where's your nearest?
We have five defibrillators around the parish are it’s good to know where they are sited. As Shipley is widely dispersed, the nearest may be found at the following locations:
Foxfield Cottages phone box on the Shipley Road Shipley Football Club Coolham Village Hall Dial Post Village Hall Shipley Primary School (during school hours only) William Penn School (during school hours only)
Parish Council Contact Directory
You can contact your parish councillors at the following addresses:
Paul Richards [email protected] Parish Council Clerk Tel: 07824 312070 Gordon Lindsay [email protected] District Councillor Philip Baxter [email protected] Jason Emrich [email protected] Bridget Huggett [email protected] Anthony Burrell [email protected] Harry Woodage [email protected] William Beckett [email protected] Derek Larcombe [email protected] Stephen Roggendorff [email protected] Nicky Wiltshire [email protected] Ginny De Zoete [email protected]
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Sports and Activity clubs
Currently indoor sports and activity clubs are not meeting because of Covid-19. Outdoor ones might be.
Here are the contact details of some local clubs:
Badminton (Tuesday evenings): Peter Buckley on 07788 133965 Shipley Bowmen: (various times) Philip Baxter on 01403 741093 or go to https://shipleybowmen.co.uk Shipley Petanque (Tuesday mornings): Melanie Roberts on 01403 782134 Short Mat bowling (Tuesday afternoons): Tony on 01403 731177 or go to www.southwaterbowlsclub.co.uk Walking football club (Tuesday mornings) Philip Gibbs on 07786 070939 Horsham and Shipley Community Project has various activities including a Men’s Shed - www.HorshamShipleyCommunityProject.org, email [email protected], or call Helen on 07968 008997
If you would like to include your sports or activity club, please email us at [email protected] with a short description and contact details
Health and Leisure Walks
Currently the Horsham Health Walks are suspended; we’ll include details once they restart.
If you are planning ahead, a booklet containing the walks is available from the Walks Co-ordinator on 07720 714306
See also https://www.horsham.gov.uk/sport-and-leisure/walking/health-walks
43 Shipley Parish News
Word search
At Parish News HQ we feed the birds quite regular, prompting many visitors! How many birds can you find in this word search?
B B W R T J Z M H C N I F D L O G Y N L Y J G Z C X W Q Q G B D R L A N U U A Y T V E O F J S Y T Q X L U W X E R C L X Y V A O R C R G Z S L W R T I V K X X P Z L E F T T U O L P R I F B R B K Q H J T S E B N C L Y H T C Q W K I L V C N I V G W O R C O W F K Z T H R G M T K T P R H L H F F X V S E D V D W B A C M E U A A G E W J L F S K C K I T H D L M D F O V N H Q O W Q X L T A H T D J C F L H W A R O U F E P K H T K U V C I D D D S R T C D Q B V W L Y N N T N C W M R S T T U T R T G E O N U Z C R V A I L I M Y R O B I N V O V I H E P G B T I B T J H Y Y S U C K H G S T P M O T I T T A E R G F K C M W T B I H L W S A O O P K X V J H F W P E E L Y R E K C E P D O O W Q Z J G A J A G E Q T U H Z B V X R J U H S T T R O N Q E J K S N Y W M G A A C D L Y Z M L J S T A R L I N G W Y
Blackbird - Blue tit - Chaffinch - Coal tit - Crow Dunnock - Goldcrest - Goldfinch - Great tit - Jay Long-tailed tit - Magpie - Nuthatch - Robin Sparrow - Starling - Woodpecker - Wren
44 Website edition: February and March 2021
THE DAN AND MORFA POPE MEMORIAL FUND
Shipley’s charity for young people
The Trustees of the fund would like all members of Shipley Parish to be aware of the above fund which was formed to help young people enhance talents they would otherwise have found difficult to develop due to lack of funds.
The terms of the Charity are as follows:
The young person must be under 25.
Must live in the ecclesiastical parish of Shipley (which includes Coolham, Brooks Green and Dragons Green)
Or if not living in the parish, must attend or have previously attended the Shipley C of E Primary School in Shipley village, or the William Penn Primary School in Coolham.
GRANTS
If you have a child, or are a young person who fits this description, we encourage you to get in touch and apply for a grant.
The fund has limited resources and it may not be possible to fund all applications, however, we promise we will consider them all.
Please contact Nicholas de Zoete at [email protected] if you are seeking a grant.
Registered charity no 10887795
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ADVERTISEMENTS
If you would like to place an advertisement in the Shipley Parish News, please contact John Davies on email [email protected]
Annual black and white rates are quarter page £40, half page £79 and full page £105. Colour rates on application
46 Website edition: February and March 2021 Knepp Wildland Safaris
The Knepp Wildland is a pioneering rewilding project, driven by herds of free-roaming animals. It is now home to some of the rarest species in the UK, including nightingales, cuckoos, turtle doves and purple emperor butterflies.
Join us on one of our vehicle-based safaris or guided walking tours and experience our astonishing wildlife in the company of a professional safari guide. And stay in one of our beautiful treehouses, shepherd’s huts, tents or yurts, or simply pitch your own in our exclusive wildland campsite.
www.kneppsafaris.co.uk Email: [email protected] Tel: 01403 713230
New: The Knepp Wildland Shop
Our shop is open daily from Easter until the end of October, and from 10am to 3pm at weekends throughout winter.
We sell our organic, pasture-fed Knepp Wild Range meat, sausages and burgers, plus jams and chutneys, milk, eggs, cheese, artisan bread from The Hungry Guest in Petworth, local biscuits and gingerbread, Knepp Wildland honey, pasta and sauces, pizza dough and toppings, a range of soft drinks, organic chocolate, beer, wine and cider, toiletries and gifts.
We also sell seasoned, sustainable firewood from the Estate and local sustainable barbeque charcoal.
For further information about opening times and our shop hygiene and Covid-19 policy, visit www.kneppsafaris.co.uk.
Click and collect is also available for our Knepp Wild Range meat ordered online at www.kneppwildrangemeat.co.uk Knepp Safaris, New Barn Farm, Swallows Lane, Dial Post, RH13 8NN 47 Shipley Parish News
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Floral Creative Florist Everyday Occasions, Weddings, Corporate Events
Tel ~ Sue 07587 156461 www.facebook.com/floralcreativesussex
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52 Website edition: February and March 2021
Funeral Flowers by Sue Langridge
A Professional & Sympathetic Floral Service Help & Guidance in Choosing Your Tribute Home Visits Available Free Delivery to your chosen Funeral Director within West Sussex
Tel ~ 07587 156461
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